Director Edward Drake, known primarily for his often-uneven collaborations with Bruce Willis, delivers his most cohesive and confident work yet. Guns Up is a gritty, grounded crime drama that leans hard on character and palpable tension, trading flashy spectacle for messy, painful realism. The result is a film that feels both familiar and undeniably entertaining.
The biggest surprise here is Kevin James as Ray, a weary ex-cop turned mobster, desperate to leave his violent past behind when his wife suggests launching a new small business. James completely sheds his sitcom comfort zone, finding a believable and brooding presence that channels the same simmering menace he tapped into in the thriller Becky. His performance is a testament to his range, and he carries the film with an understated intensity.
Ry’s journey to redemption is the film’s emotional core, and James makes his desperation feel genuine. The film is at its sharpest in Ray’s scenes opposite Timothy V. Murphy’s cold-blooded rival mob boss. Murphy, in scenery chewing mode, exudes a quiet, unnerving threat and the tension between the two actors is electric. Francis Cronin is also at hand for some much needed comic relief as Danny Clogan, Ray’s right hand man.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Christina Ricci adds unexpected depth as Ry’s conflicted wife, who has the best lines in the movie. Luis Guzmán lends steady gravitas as an old-school consigliere figure, while Melissa Leo, though her screen time is brief, makes every moment count as a formidable crime matriarch. Their performances help build a lived-in world that feels authentic and dangerous.
Drake avoids stylised choreography in favour of a more visceral, painful realism. This approach keeps the stakes feeling personal and gives the action more weight than the average genre outing.
Still, the film isn’t without its potholes. The pacing occasionally drags, certain twists are predictable, and some character beats feel rushed. With Nobody 2 also in cinemas this week, it’s hard not to draw comparisons between the two films. .
Still, Guns Up is certainly not a game-changer, but it’s solid proof that a familiar story, told with grit and heart, can be enough. And it’s an undeniable victory for James, who proves once and for all that he can pull off an action hero. It’s entertaining if, admittedly, not too deep.
